High Surf in Hawaii, November 28 to 30, 2008

Name: High Surf in Hawaii, November 28 to 30, 2008
Start: 2008-11-28T04:00
End: 2008-11-30T22:00
Location: Hawaii

November 28 to 30, 2008 · NWS HFO · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A deep low far northwest of the islands generated surf of 10 to 20 feet along the north-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; 8 to 15 feet along the west-facing shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, and Maui; and 6 to 8 feet along the west-facing shores of the Big Island of Hawaii. Lifeguards were kept busy because of the higher-than-average surf, taking care to assist…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
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Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS HFO wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Honolulu, HI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 28, 4:00 AM HST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 4:00 AM HST, 0 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Niihau

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Niihau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kauai Windward

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kauai Leeward

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kauai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 22.011, -159.705 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Waianae Coast

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Waianae Coast forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Oahu North Shore

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu North Shore forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.455, -157.961 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Oahu Koolau

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Oahu Koolau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Windward

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Windward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Molokai Leeward

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Molokai Leeward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Maui Windward West

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Windward West forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 21.027, -156.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Maui Central Valley

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Maui Central Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Windward Haleakala

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Windward Haleakala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Surf, Kona

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kona forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Surf, Kohala

When: November 28, 4:00 AM HST to November 30, 10:00 PM HST
Where: Kohala forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 19.602, -155.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Surf: Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Hawaii in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Hawaii, November 2008

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 138353, 138354, 138355, 138356, 138357, 138358, 138359, 138360, 138361, 138362, 138363, 138364, 138365.